Guy wire protector

ABSTRACT

A guy wire protective and clamping structure consisting of cooperating oppositely grooved clamping segments, one segment being secured inside the end portion of a guy wire sleeve, and the other segment being connected to the first segment by one or more clamping bolts. The first segment has a stop lug and the other segment is at times rotatable to facilitate engagement of a guy wire between the segments, but can be returned to opposing registering relationship with the first segment by moving it into abutment with the stop lug.

United States Patent [1 1 Bogese, II

[ 1 GUY WIRE PROTECTOR [75] Inventor: Stephen B. Bogese, lI, Roanoke, Va.

[73] Assignee: Virginia Plastics Company,

Roanoke, Va.

221 Filed: Nov. 2, 1973 21 AppliNo.;4l2,283

[52] US. Cl. 1. 52/147; 24/115 R [51] Int. Cl. v E0411 12/20 [58] Field of Search 52/147, 727; 24/135 N, 24/135 R, 134 L115 R. 115 B, 125 M, 248 CR; 85/1 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [902,945 3/1933 Blackburn 52/147 1.938.957 12/1933 Fox 24/115 B 2,007.060 7/1935 Miller 52/147 Aug. 5, 1975 3,177,986 4/1965 Mock et a1 52/147 3208,3128 9/1965 Myers 85/1 P Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser Assistant ExaminerCarl D. Friedman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Berman, Bishoff & Platt [57] 1 ABSTRACT A guy wire protective and clamping structure consisting of cooperating oppositely grooved clamping segments, one segment being secured inside the end portion of a guy wire sleeve, and the other segment being connected to the first segment by one or more clamping bolts. The first segment has a stop lug and the other segment is at times rotatable to facilitate engagement ofa guy wire between the segments, but can be returned to opposing registering relationship with the first segment by moving it into abutment with the stop lug.

22 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED A l975 GUY WIRE PROTECTOR This invention relates to guy wire guard devices and, more particulary, to protective sleeve assemblies for receiving guy wires associated with telephone poles, utility poles, and the like.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved guy wire protective sleeve assembly of the type provided with clamping means for clampingly engaging one or more guy wires extending through the main sleeve portion of the assembly, the assembly involving relatively simple components, being easy to install, and being insulated against stray electrical currents whereby to minimize electrical hazards.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved protective sleeve assembly for guy wires associated with telephone poles, utility poles, or the like, the assembly employing relatively inexpensive components, being durable in construction, being arranged so that it can be installed quickly and with a minimum amount of labor, being substantially smooth and protected against electrical hazards from stray currents, and being arranged so that it can be used to receive and clampingly engage either one or two guy wires in accordance with the requirements of the particular installation in which it is employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an im proved guy wire protective sleeve assembly which includes a pair of cooperating clamping segments, one of which is securely bonded to the inside surface of the main protective sleeve element of the assembly by cement, adhesive, heat fusion or other suitable means to form a unique, permanent, integral clampsleeve unit, and the other of which is at times pivotally extensible so as to facilitate the clamping engagement of the assembly with a guy wire, the bonded segment being provided with stop means so that the rotatable segment can be returned to its registering position relative to the bonded segment, and the segements being clamped together by fastening means which is securely locked and which cannot become rusted to the segments whereby the assembly can be removed as required for maintenance and can be easily reinstalled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved guy wire protective sleeve assembly which will be securely held in its desired protective position surrounding a guy wire and will not become loosened because of vibration or other causes, which can be quickly and easily installed or removed, as required, and which is provided with internal clamping means comprising cooperating clamping segments which are substantially self-aligning and which can be rapidly and securely fastened together in clamping position without requiring the use of special tools or equipment.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a typical telephone or utility pole provided with stabilizing guy wires and employing protective guy wire sleeve assemblies according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a pair of cooperating clamping segments employed in the sleeve assembly of FIGS. 1 to 4.

Referring to the drawings, II designates a typical utility or telephone pole which is provided with a plurality of stabilizing inclined guy wires 13 which connect the pole to suitable anchoring means in the ground spaced outwardly adjacent the pole. The inclined guy wires 13 are provided with elongated protective sleeve assemblies 14 constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Each protective guard assembly I4 comprises an elongated main sleeve member 15 which may be of any desirable cross-sectional shape, for example, which may be U-shaped, semi-circular, or, as illustrated in the drawings, may be of circular cross-sectional shape. The sleeve member 15 is of sufficient length and size to adequately receive the associated guy wire 13 to provide a protective covering for the guy wire and its anchoring system. The sleeve member 15 is provided adjacent at least its upper end with means for clamping the sleeve member to the associated guy wire I3 so that the sleeve 15 will be securely held in its desired position in covering relationship to the associated guy wire I3.

The elongated sleeve member I5 is preferably made of suitable insulating material, such as plastic material, or the like. The clamping assembly provided in the upper portion of the sleeve member 15 comprises a first segment 16 rigidly secured inside the upper portion of the sleeve member 15 and a cooperating clamping segment I7 adapted to be clampingly secured in a manner presently to be described to the first segment 16 with the guy wire 13 received therebetween. The clamping members 16 and 17 are preferably made of plastic material having substantially the same physical characteristics as the material employed for the elongated outer sleeve member 15.

As shown in FIG. 5, the clamping member 16 is formed with an arcuate upper surface 18 conforming with the cylindrical inside surface of the sleeve member 15, the surface 18 being further formed with uniformly distributed rectangular recesses 19 which act as reservoirs for cement and thereby insure intimate bonding of the member 16 to the inside surface of the sleeve member 15. The integrity of the bond thus provided is further assured because the sleeve member 15 and the clamping member 16 are preferably made of the same insulating material and thus have the same coefi'icient of expansion. Thus, in securing the member 16 to the sleeve 15, the surface 18 is throughly coated with suitable adhesive bonding material and the member 16 is held against the inside surface of the sleeve member I5 substantially as illustrated in FIG. 4, namely, near an end of the sleeve. Thus, when thus bonded, the clamping element 16 becomes substantially integrally united to the sleeve in a transversely extending position therein as is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The member 16 is formed with three countersunk apertures 20 which register with three apertures 21 provided in the sleeve member 15. The bottom portion of the clamping member 16, as viewed in FIG. 5, is formed with three longitudinally extending spaced grooves 22, and the transverse marginal portion of the member 16 is formed with a plate-like depending lug 23, as viewed in FIG. 5.

The cooperating clamping member 17 comprises a block of plastic material, preferably similar to the material employed for the clamping member 16, and is likewise formed with three spaced longitudinally extending grooves 24 which are registrable with the grooves 22 of the member 16 in opposing relationship thereto, as will be presently described. The clamping member 17 preferably has sloping end surfaces 25 and 26, as shown in FIG. 2, converging toward the flat bottom surface 27 of member 17. The member 17 is formed in the grooves 24 with tapered tapped holes 28 which are registrable with the countersunk holes 20 of the fixed clamping block 16 when the member 17 is in the opposing relationship with block 16 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The member 17 is provided with a rounded corner 29 to allow member 17 to be at times swung away from parallelism with the fixed clamping block member 16, for example, to the dotted view position shown in FIG. 3, to facilitate the positioning of the guy wire 13 between the clamping blocks. In the typical embodiment illustrated in the drawings, a single guy wire 13 is adapted to be received between the central grooves 22 and 24 of the clamping block members 16 and 17, and threaded clamping screws 30 are engageable through the apertures 21, 20 on opposite sides of the guy wire 13 and are threadedly engageable with the correspondingly located tapered tapped openings 28 of clamping block 17. The heads of the clamping screws are receivable in the counterbores 20, as shown in dotted view in FIG. 2, whereby the assembly 14 has a continuously smooth outer contour.

It will be understood that the guard sleeve 15 is first prepared by cementing the clamping member 16 therein in the manner above described with the countersunk holes 20 in registry with the apertures 21 of the sleeve and the clamping block 16 arranged in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4. The other clamping block 17 may then be connected to the fixed clamping block 16 by employing a headed screw 30 engaged in the countersunk opening 20 of block 16 remote from the stop lug 23. The clamping block 17 may be positioned in a direction substantially parallel to the sleeve 15 under these conditions, for example, may have the dotted view position thereof shown in FIG. 3 to facilitate the adjustment of the sleeve 15 on the guy wire 13. When the guard sleeve 15 has been adjusted to its desired position, for example, the position thereof shown in FIG. 1, the block 17 may be rotated counterclockwise from the position thereof shown in dotted view in FIG. 3 until it engages the stop lug 23, thereby bringing the remaining holes 28 of block 17 into registry with the remaining countersunk holes 20 of the fixed clamping block 16. Under these conditions, the middle grooves 22 and 24 of blocks 16 and 17 will receive the guy wire 13. Another headed screw 30 may then be engaged through the registering holes 28 and 20 on the side of the guy wire 13 opposite to the first-employed screw, and may be threadedly engaged in the tapped opening 28 of block 17 in registry therewith. Both of the screws 30 may then be tightened to clamp the guy wire 13 between the middle grooves 22, 24 of the respective blocks 16 and I7. This clamps the guard assembly 14 to the guy wire 13 in its desired position.

A reverse procedure is employed when it is desired to unclamp the assembly 14 from the guy wire 13.

It will be noted that the tapped holes 28 of block 17 are tapered so as to securely hold the clamping bolts 30 and to minimize the possibility of stripping the threads.

This arrangement eliminates the necessity of using fas' tening nuts or other hardware for holding the clamping member 17 in clamping position. The tapered tapped holes 28 also act to prevent loosening of the clamping bolts 30 under vibration or other severe mechanical condition. Because the clamping block 17 is made of the same material as the outer sleeve 15 and the fixed clamping member 16, there is no possibility of the clamping bolts rusting to the threads of the clamping member 17, as in the case where only metal parts are employed. Thus, this permits easy removal or detachment of the guard assembly from the associated guy wire 13 when it is necessary for maintenance operations to be performed, and likewise facilitates reinstallation of the assembly without requiring any replacement parts.

The provision of the three sets of registrable grooves 24, 22 respectively in the block 17 and the block 16 permits the use of either two bolts to clamp a single guy wire as above described, or one bolt to clamp two guy wires contained within a common guard sleeve 15.

Since the locking members are made of insulating material and the arrangement is such that the clamping bolts are insulated from the guy wire, there is no possibility of conducting stray electrical currents to the clamping bolts. This provides a much safer installation than the conventional arrangements employing allmetal locking members and wherein currents may be conducted from the guy wire to the clamping bolts.

It will be noted further, that the installation of the assembly 14 is relatively simple, since the movable locking member 17 may be pivoted so as to extend out of the upper end of the shell 15, as shown in dotted view in FIG. 3, to thereby facilitate the insertion and positioning of the guy wire 13 in the shell 15. As above mentioned, the stop lug 23 is arranged so as to provide automatic alignment of the holes 20, 28 when the movable clamping block member 17 is swung back against lug 23. Stop lug 23 not only provides such automatic alignment of the bolt holes but also prevents undesired inward pivoting of the clamping block 17.

As will be seen from FIG. 3, the pivotal connection of the member 17 to the fixed block 16 is located so that the member 17 is easily accessible from the upper end of the sleeve 15 and may be manually rotated, as required.

While a specific embodiment of an improved guy wire protective assembly has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A guy wire protective assembly comprising a sleeve adapted to protectively receive a guy wire, a clamp block means within said sleeve, means securing said clamp block means in said sleeve, said sleeve and clamp block means being formed with a bolt aperture, a movable clamp member pivoted to said clamp block means and having a bolt-receiving aperture registrable with said bolt aperture in one position of said movable clamp member, said clamp member being at times rotatable to a substantially nonobstructing position relative to a guy wire received in said sleeve, and stop means limiting return rotation of said movable clamp member to said one position, whereby a clamping bolt may be inserted through said bolt aperture into said bolt receiving aperture.

2. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said clamp block means is provided with a groove extending parallel to the sleeve axis for receiving the guy wire.

3. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said clamp block means and the movable clamp member have opposing grooves arranged to clampingly receive the guy wire therebetween.

4. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said stop means comprises a lug on the clamp block means engageable by the movable clamp member when the movable clamp member reaches said one position.

5. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 4, and wherein said movable clamp member has a rounded corner portion providing clearance for rotation of said clamp member toward said non-obstructing position.

6. The guy wire protective assembly of claim I, and wherein said sleeve, clamp block means and movable clamp member are made of electrically insulating material.

7. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein the means securing the clamp block means in the sleeve comprises adhesive, the clamp block means having a contacting surface conforming to the interior surface of the sleeve, said contacting surface being formed with adhesive-receiving recesses distributed thereover.

8. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said clamp block means and clamp member have a plurality of sets of parallel opposing grooves for at times clampingly receiving a plurality of side-by-side guy wires.

9. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said bolt-receiving aperture is tapered and is formed for self-locking threaded engagement with said clamping bolt.

10. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said bolt aperture is counterbored sufficiently to receive the head of said clamping bolt below the external contour of the sleeve.

11. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein the clamp member is pivoted to the clamp block means by means of a bolt engaged through the clamp block means and threadedly engaged with the clamp member.

12. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein the pivotal connection between the clamp member and the clamp block means is located so that the clamp member extends adjacent to and is accessible from one end of the sleeve in said non-obstructing position.

13. A guy wire clamping assembly comprising a clamp block, a movable clamp member, means to pivotally connect said clamp member to said clamp block. said clamp block having an aperture, said clamp member having an aperture registrable with said clamp block aperture in one position of said clamp member, said clamp member being rotatable away from said one position, and stop means extending between said clamp member and clamp block limiting return rotation of said movable clamp member to said one position, whereby a clamping fastener may be inserted through said clamp block aperture into said clamp member aperture.

14. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp block is provided with a groove for receiving a guy wire.

15. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp block and movable clamp member have opposing grooves arranged to clampingly receive a guy wire therebetween.

16. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said stop means comprises a lug on the clamp block engageable by the movable clamp member in said one position.

17. The clamping assembly of claim l6, and wherein said movable clamp member has a rounded corner portion to provide clearance for rotation of the clamp member in a guy wire protective sleeve.

18. The clamping assembly of claim l3, and wherein the clamp block and clamp member are made of electrically insulating material.

19. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp block has a rounded top surface adapted to fit within a guy wire protective sleeve.

20. The clamping assembly of claim 19, and wherein said rounded top surface is formed with adhesivereceiving recesses distributed thereover.

21. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp member aperture is tapered and is formed with threads for self-locking engagement with the clamping fastener.

22. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein the means to pivotally connect said clamp member to said clamp block comprises a bolt engaged through said clamp block and threadedly engaged with said clamp member.

l l l 

1. A guy wire protective assembly comprising a sleeve adapted to protectively receive a guy wire, a clamp block means within said sleeve, means securing said clamp block means in said sleeve, said sleeve and clamp block means being formed with a bolt aperture, a movable clamp member pivoted to said clamp block means and having a bolt-receiving aperture registrable with said bolt aperture in one position of said movable clamp member, said clamp member being at times rotatable to a substantially nonobstructing position relative to a guy wire received in said sleeve, and stop means limiting return rotation of said movable clamp member to said one position, whereby a clamping bolt may be inserted through said bolt aperture into said bolt receiving aperture.
 2. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said clamp block means is provided with a groove extending parallel to the sleeve axis for receiving the guy wire.
 3. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said clamp block means and the movable clamp member have opposing grooves arranged to clampingly receive the guy wire therebetween.
 4. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said stop means comprises a lug on the clamp block means engageable by the movable clamp member when the movable clamp member reaches said one position.
 5. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 4, and wherein said movable clamp member has a rounded corner portion providing clearance for rotation of said clamp member toward said non-obstructing position.
 6. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said sleeve, clamp block means and movable clamp member are made of electrically insulating material.
 7. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein the means securing the clamp block means iN the sleeve comprises adhesive, the clamp block means having a contacting surface conforming to the interior surface of the sleeve, said contacting surface being formed with adhesive-receiving recesses distributed thereover.
 8. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said clamp block means and clamp member have a plurality of sets of parallel opposing grooves for at times clampingly receiving a plurality of side-by-side guy wires.
 9. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said bolt-receiving aperture is tapered and is formed for self-locking threaded engagement with said clamping bolt.
 10. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein said bolt aperture is counterbored sufficiently to receive the head of said clamping bolt below the external contour of the sleeve.
 11. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein the clamp member is pivoted to the clamp block means by means of a bolt engaged through the clamp block means and threadedly engaged with the clamp member.
 12. The guy wire protective assembly of claim 1, and wherein the pivotal connection between the clamp member and the clamp block means is located so that the clamp member extends adjacent to and is accessible from one end of the sleeve in said non-obstructing position.
 13. A guy wire clamping assembly comprising a clamp block, a movable clamp member, means to pivotally connect said clamp member to said clamp block, said clamp block having an aperture, said clamp member having an aperture registrable with said clamp block aperture in one position of said clamp member, said clamp member being rotatable away from said one position, and stop means extending between said clamp member and clamp block limiting return rotation of said movable clamp member to said one position, whereby a clamping fastener may be inserted through said clamp block aperture into said clamp member aperture.
 14. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp block is provided with a groove for receiving a guy wire.
 15. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp block and movable clamp member have opposing grooves arranged to clampingly receive a guy wire therebetween.
 16. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said stop means comprises a lug on the clamp block engageable by the movable clamp member in said one position.
 17. The clamping assembly of claim 16, and wherein said movable clamp member has a rounded corner portion to provide clearance for rotation of the clamp member in a guy wire protective sleeve.
 18. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein the clamp block and clamp member are made of electrically insulating material.
 19. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp block has a rounded top surface adapted to fit within a guy wire protective sleeve.
 20. The clamping assembly of claim 19, and wherein said rounded top surface is formed with adhesive-receiving recesses distributed thereover.
 21. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein said clamp member aperture is tapered and is formed with threads for self-locking engagement with the clamping fastener.
 22. The clamping assembly of claim 13, and wherein the means to pivotally connect said clamp member to said clamp block comprises a bolt engaged through said clamp block and threadedly engaged with said clamp member. 